


Sugar Rush

by sens_logi



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-24
Updated: 2012-08-24
Packaged: 2017-11-12 18:44:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/494452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sens_logi/pseuds/sens_logi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Peeta's birthday, Katniss wanted to give him a surprise of her own. She decided to play a game with him, and it involved a lot of icing. One-shot, lemon</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sugar Rush

"I'm hopeless at this," Katniss grumbled, and looked down at the sad excuses of blue icing flowers that sprinkle across the cupcake on the tray.

She had been studiously working on honing her icing technique for the past half hour, trying to assemble a design that could at least sort of match the intricate, complex patterns that Peeta was creating beside her. But all of the effort amounted to three discarded cupcakes with lumpy blue icing sitting on the counter, while she proceeded to mess up her fourth attempt. She accidentally squirted too much icing, covering nearly a quarter of the cupcake.

"Peeta, help me," she said miserably. She rued the fact that she volunteered to help him decorate the cupcakes for his bakery today. This was really a lot harder than it looked. Or maybe her hands, while nimble and efficient when wielding a bow, were useless as slugs when it came to this delicate stuff. Go figure.

Peeta finished the last touch on the ninth cupcake on his tray, and looked across at her work. A small smile quirked his lips, although he tried to hold it back to no avail.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" her eyes narrowed at him. He chuckled, put down his decorating bag, and shuffled over to her. He stood behind her, and she was suddenly aware of the heat that radiated from him, pulsing against her back. On instinct, she leaned back against him, hungry to feel more of the warmth.

"Maybe a little." He said. She huffed, and tried to give him a mock affronted look over her shoulder. He leaned down, and ghosted his lips over the side of her neck. Her affronted look dissipated. "Only because you look so cute like this," he murmured in her ear, making a shiver tingle down her spine, "You have a streak of icing in your hair."

"I do?" Katniss arched an eyebrow. When did that get there? "Well, you should've helped me earlier, you know."

"I tried. You wouldn't let me." Peeta replied.

Katniss sighed inwardly. He was right. She was so intent on getting it right by herself that she deflected his attempts of instruction after her first and second less-than-ideal tries. She had thought this was going to be a piece of cake. No pun intended.

"Well, now I see the error of my ways," she mumbled, "Will you show me the light?"

"With pleasure." Peeta reached out his arms until they surrounded her, and cupped her right hand in his large, scarred one. She relished the heat of his skin against hers. It was something that she was never going to take for granted. With his free hand, he fetched a new cupcake from the tray on the stove, placed the icing bag into her captive hand and held it over the cupcake.

"Here. Instead of trying to make an iced flower in one sitting, we can work on it, stroke by stroke of the pedals," His fingers squeezed hers lightly, manoeuvring her hand as it moved gracefully across the surface. To her astonishment, a blue flower seemed to bloom as their hands danced across the cupcake together, its pedals rippling as her fingers yielded just the right amount of pressure under Peeta's guidance.

"And… voila." Peeta said triumphantly, as Katniss admired the first beautiful decoration that she made today. "Gorgeous."

"It is," she sighed. He didn't let go of her hand. Suddenly feeling rather playful, she squeezed a bit of the icing onto the tip of her free hand's forefinger, and brought it to her lips, sucking on it lightly. She knew that he was watching this. And to her satisfaction, she felt his arms tighten a bit around her involuntarily.

"Can I have a taste?" he nuzzled behind her ear.

"The icing?" she felt him nod against her. Unable to help the shy smile that lit up her countenance, she squeezed a blob of the blue icing onto her finger again, and held it up to him.

He closed his lips around her fingertip. His tongue danced across her skin slowly, savouring the taste and making her gasp. The sensation seemed to shoot from her fingertip and down her palm. He made a sound in the back of his throat. Her knees grew weak, when his lips trailed down the length of her forefinger, caressed the span of her palm, and gently closed around the pulse point of her wrist.

"Peeta," she said breathily, "If you keep that up, you will be late to open your shop today."

He sighed in frustration. "You're right." He pressed one more kiss to her wrist, and released her hand. "Sorry, I'll be good. I promise."

She turned around in his arms, until she was facing him and staring up into his sky blue eyes. They crinkled with humor and affection as he looked into her gray ones, his hand brushing a wave of dark hair behind her ear.

"Not too good tonight, I hope," she bit her lower lip with a small smile, "I want those hands on me."

He drew in a deep breath, and his throat bobbed sharply. She loved seeing the effect she had on him, whether it was with a few simple words or her soft touches.

"You are trouble," he shook his head, and grinned. He gave Katniss a soft kiss. "Well, your wishes are my command, Ms. Everdeen."

And it was always ridiculous, how happy Peeta could make her, with a few simple words of his own. Actually, just his presence made her happy. She didn't think she could ever tire of holding him and kissing him, anything to reinforce that he was alive and here with her.

"Well then, get your bum going," she smacked him lightly on the behind, startling him but earning a throaty laugh, "And then hurry back to me tonight. I'm going hunting today."

"Okay, bossy boots." He stepped back just slightly, as if unwilling to completely disentangle himself from her embrace. He leaned down to steal one more kiss. "Be careful."

"I will." She said. Nothing was going to keep her away from Peeta tonight. She was going to ensure that he finished what he started this morning. Looking up into his bright eyes that were practically lit up with excitement, she had a feeling that he felt the same way, too.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katniss collapsed on top of Peeta's chest, struggling to catch her breath as his hands stroked up and down the span of her back. The rapid pounding of her heart gradually slowed into a steady rhythm, and a warm, satisfied lethargy blanketed her.

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

"Hmm." She burrowed her head into his chest, feeling sleepy and glowing and all kinds of wonderful. Once again, sex with him was mind-shatteringly good. She felt so unrestrained in her afterglow that the words flew out of her mouth without thinking. "I love you."

His heartbeat seemed to pick up a little where her ear pressed against his chest. His fingers stroked her hair. "I love you too." He said.

She traced her fingertips over his collarbones, idly wondering how this wonderful man had become all hers. How he was so good, when he had been born into a world where everything was wrong and twisted. All of the suppression was behind them now, but at the cost of nearly everyone Katniss loved. Almost him too. A tremor ran down her spine, and she felt her glow dimming instantly.

"You cold?" he asked.

She was. She pressed herself more firmly against his body, soaking up his body heat and willing it to chase away the demons haunting her in her head. She tried to think of something else, anything to block out the unwelcome thoughts that were threatening to ruin what was a perfectly good moment with Peeta. Speaking of being born…

"Hey! It's your birthday in two weeks." The light bulb flicked on in her mind. She should have remembered this for awhile, but he never spoke of it.

"Oh. You're right." He sounded surprised, as if he were either taken aback by its imminence or the fact that Katniss remembered it. "I'll be nineteen."

"Yeah." She stared at her hand that was curling around his bicep. She pursed her lips in thought. "I haven't thought of what to get you for your birthday yet."

"I don't want anything," he laughed it off good-naturedly, "Maybe just you, in our bed, naked…"

She rolled her eyes, although a small smile played her lips. "You'll have that, promise," she said, "But I want to get you something else too. Come on, it's your special day. There must be something you want."

"I got everything I need. Really." His tone was suddenly softer. More serious. "I got you. I got the bakery back. I got my own house, plenty of food and clothes. It's more than what I had ever expected. I can't ask for more. Don't need to."

She chewed on her lower lip, as she mulled over his words. True, at a time when they didn't think they would live through their teens, all of this seemed beyond their grasps, or even their wildest dreams. They didn't really celebrate birthdays last year, since both were too broken in spirit and desperately trying to piece together what remained of themselves, as their loved ones and their world was torn away from them. But this year, it was different. They did live through all of it, and now they had put together their lives again, piece by piece. Peeta deserved something special for his celebration. She didn't want to give him something that he needed. She wanted to give him something he wanted.

Oh, the possibilities…

But feeling like he was not going to be really helpful on the topic, she relented on the discussion. Instead, she leaned forward to kiss him, and said, "Well, I'm gonna surprise you then."

He smiled. "Okay." Feeling herself encouraged by a sense of bravado that she would think of something in time, she eventually drifted off to sleep in his embrace, feeling his large hands splayed across the small of her back, the warmth seeping and spreading everywhere.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hmm… what to get him?

Katniss sat at the kitchen the next morning, mulling with a mug of tea in her hands. Peeta was at the bakery, leaving her free to her own thoughts. Her mind was busying running through every possibility. She even looked around the kitchen occasionally in an attempt to draw inspiration.

More tools for his shop? No. She dismissed that thought immediately. He would have all the tools anyway, and the idea was a far cry from being romantic or creative. She may not have been one for romance before, but Peeta seemed to be drawing it out of her, little by little with each day that they spent together. She wasn't about to give him anything related to work on his birthday.

Maybe a nice, elaborate meal? Manageable, although she had minimal skills in the kitchen. She had become good with making stews under Greasy Sae's guidance, but she could imagine what sort of disasters she might cause by handling complex dishes in the kitchen. She'd have to enlist Greasy Sae's help for sure.

Maybe I can hunt extra game, and use the furs and pretty cloth to make him a coat? She winced, as the thought of training with Cinna suddenly flashed across her mind. Despite being his apprentice, she gained nearly zero skills in the department of tailoring. The possibility of assembling and stitching together a complete piece in less than two weeks was paltry. It wasn't like he needed it until the winter, anyways.

Damn it. It was harder to conjure up a feasible idea than she thought. She had considered food, clothing, and tools so far. Those were things that he needed, but already had in his hand. What could she give him that would surprise him?

His words rushed back to her. Just you, in our bed, naked. A dart of desire shot through her as the words tingled through her memory, and she swallowed unconsciously. Well, she was fairly certain Peeta would like that idea, but she did want it to be a little more creative than that.

Finishing her last gulp of the tea, she brought the mug over to the sink to wash. That was when her eyes fell upon the almost used up bag of icing that lay by the corner of the counter, staring innocuously back at her. She looked at it, recalling the way that Peeta eagerly licked the icing off her finger, the sound he made and those delicious sensations that pulsed through her.

Suddenly, an idea struck home. She couldn't keep the grin off of her face as she took out the teabag and washed the mug under the tap, already planning her next move. Excitement bubbled in her chest, as she pondered the devious plan and let it sink in. The anticipation washed through her like a sizzling, delectable wave.

Boy, she couldn't wait until his birthday arrived.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Katniss?"

Peeta had stepped into the house, home from the bakery. Despite the fact that it was his birthday today, he insisted on operating the shop like any other day, declining Katniss' offer to let her or someone else take over. When he padded into the living room, he found Katniss sitting in the armchair by their fireplace, wrapped in his dark linen robe. He raised his eyebrows in interest.

Katniss got to her feet as he approached her, and sauntered toward him with an enigmatic smile. But inwardly, her heart was pounding and nerves were fluttering through her. She felt like her cheeks were flushed with anticipation.

"Hey," she murmured, as she enveloped her arms around him, and buried her face into his neck. She soaked in his warmth and scent that reminded her of raisins and flour. "Happy birthday, Peeta."

"Thanks sweetheart." He kissed the top of her head, and lifted the items that he was clutching in his hands. "I brought home a cake, and a bottle of wine. Let's have some."

"Okay." She nodded. "I had Greasy Sae help me prepare some dishes for dinner. They'll go well with the cake and wine, I think."

She led Peeta to the kitchen. His mouth nearly fell open, at the table of dishes that were laid out before his eyes. A steaming pot of rabbit and potato stew was emitting a mouth-watering fragrance from the centre of the table, while smaller dishes surrounded the pot, filled with colorful, cut-up fruit topped with drizzled caramel sauce and confectionary sugar; bite-size tarts filled with fresh mint leaves, cheese and tomato seasoning; and golden toasts with eggs cooked and stuffed in the centre.

"You… made this?" he whispered, and dropped the items in his hand by the wall almost unceremoniously. Looking at his face, Katniss wondered if she was wrong in her earlier judgment that food wasn't inventive enough as a gift. He looked gobsmacked, maybe even awestruck. But this was nothing compared to the decadent food that they used to consume at the Capitol, in spite of her attempt to gather as much fine ingredients as possible with Greasy Sae.

"Well, I prepared the stew mostly," she said, "Greasy Sae helped prepare a lot of the other dishes. I invited her to join us for dinner, but she said she didn't want to intrude on our romantic evening. She wishes you a happy birthday. I made sure she took home a bit of everything."

"It looks amazing." He breathed, and walked toward the kitchen. "Let me help set up the plates and utensils."

Soon, they settled down and began to scoop food onto their plates and bowls. Katniss looked at him as he sipped the stew slowly, his eyes lighting up with pleasure as he savoured its taste. "Katniss, this is so good," he said, and took a piece of toast to accompany the stew. She preened a little at his compliment, happy that she finally made some sort of tasty food. Not that she had ever considered herself domestic, but she was a little tired of relying on Peeta's breads and Greasy Sae's cooking.

They bit into the fruits and tarts. Peeta broke out the wine and the cake. He held out his arms to her as a silent invitation while they worked on the dessert, and she relented and moved to settle onto his lap, feeling his strong, familiar arms wrap around her. She nibbled on the cake that he held to her lips, finishing by licking the crumbs off his fingers and sucking the frosting off his skin, like he had done to her before. She could feel his breathing increasingly accelerate, and knew that her actions were affecting him in the exact way that she had intended.

"That is the the best meal ever," he said, and she heard a little tremor in his voice that she didn't think was entirely imagined. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," she murmured. She hid a small mischievous smile, as she scooped a bit of frosting from the cake he brought and smeared it across the side of his neck. When his eyes widened and he asked her what she was doing, she leaned forward, pressed her front flush against him, and ran her mouth down the trail of icing, licking and nibbling and sucking at his hot, throbbing skin. He gasped and groaned, and she started to work on the spot below the bob of his throat that she knew he liked, the blend of cream, sugar and a spicy taste that was uniquely Peeta on her tongue.

"Katniss…" he whispered her name, almost like a reverent chant.

His hands started tugging at her linen robe, trying to free her from it. Instead of letting him pry it open, however, she placed her hands on top of his, stilling him. He gave her a confused, if not slightly dazed look.

"Wait," she said, answering his unspoken plea, "Not here, Peeta. I have something else for you. Come to our bedroom."

He nodded numbly. She smiled, and gave him a long, deep kiss. She could feel his hardness pressing against her thigh, separated by the layers of his workpants and her robe. The knowledge made the desire curl deeper in her abdomen, and the anticipation fluttered through her like butterflies wings. She got to her feet hastily, feeling a little unsteady as she intertwined their hands together and led him out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

When they reached the bedroom and closed the door behind them, Katniss didn't even have time to recover as Peeta pressed her against the wall, his body flush against hers as he kissed her for all he was worth. "I need you," he rasped in her ear, and the callous sound sent unnamed delicious, tingling warmth through her veins, pooling in her stomach, weakening her knees.

"Peeta," her voice sounded like a breathy tremor, when his mouth trailed down her neck and throat, "Oh… wait… I have something for you…"

"Yeah?" he murmured against her skin.

"Yeah. Let me show you." With all of the strength that she could muster, she placed a hand against his chest and gently pushed him away, feeling her body protest at the sudden loss of warmth. He looked confused again, if not disappointed. But he let her slide out of the embrace, his eyes watching her lithe form with bemusement. She wandered over to the bed and clicked the lamp on, basking the room with a soft, orange glow, as dusk filtered into and darkened the sky outside.

She pivoted around, and their eyes locked together. She chewed on her lower lip as her fingers worked on the knot of her robes. It loosened and fell apart. With slightly trembling fingers, she peeled back the cloth and let the robe fall off her body languidly, revealing every inch of her until the robe pooled at her feet. What he hadn't known earlier was that she was wearing nothing underneath her robe.

His throat bobbed sharply, as his eyes drank in the sight of her body that was bared to him. The firmness of her small breasts with dusky pink tips jutting out. The curve of her slender waist, contrasting with the flare of her hips. The scar that ran across her flat stomach, a pink and pale intrusion cross her shimmering olive skin. Her firm legs, and the soft, dark curls at the apex of her thighs. When his eyes rose up to meet hers again, the carnal heat and darkness that tainted their pure blue depth made her clench her thighs together. He looked like he was about to close the distance between them and pounce on her.

God, she wanted him so badly, and he hadn't even touched her intimately yet. But she couldn't let her resolve slip away now. This was the moment that she had been planning and waiting for the past two weeks.

She reached out to the side, and grasped onto the icing bag that she had left on the table beside their bed. She showed it to him. "This."

A look of confusion fell over his face. He closed the space between them, and took the bag from her. He looked at the icing inside, and could see that it was a shade of orange. His favorite color. "Okay?" he said questioningly.

"I know you already brought the cake," she wrapped her hands around his, and looked up into his handsome features. Nervousness clenched her stomach, and she prayed that this wouldn't turn out to be a ridiculous idea and ruin their night. "But I… I thought I'd make it even more interesting. Sweeter. I…" trying to steel her resolve, she stood on her tiptoes, and kissed the corner of his mouth. "I want to decorate you."

His jaw fell slack. He blinked, twice, as if unsure of what he was hearing. "Wait… so… you want to…" his eyes darted down to the bag in his hand, "Put icing on me?"

She nodded shyly. "Yes. Then I want to eat it off of you." She grinned at the dumbstruck look on his face. Oh yes, he would have never expected this in a million years. She was full of surprises tonight. "Remember two weeks ago, when you taught me how to making icing flowers? I can't stop thinking about that moment. I feel like we have some unfinished business."

His eyebrows nearly shot up into the fringe of his blond curls. But to her relief, a look that could only be described as ecstatic lit up his face. He grinned widely, and she almost couldn't remember ever seeing him this thrilled.

"Katniss, you'll never cease to surprise me," he sighed, "Maybe I should put this on you. It's my birthday. I want you to be my dessert." He wiggled his eyebrows in a mock salacious manner.

Katniss laughed. "You can. But I want to try you first." She took the bag back from his grasp, set it back on the table top, and led him to sit on the bed. When his hands moved to undo the button of his shirt, she placed her palms on the back of his hands. "Let me," she whispered, and kissed the lobe of his ear. As she unbuttoned him deftly, she attacked his throat and his jaw line with her lips, while his hands grasped onto her backside and greedily explored her warm skin.

"Katniss. Katniss," he kept saying her name in a strangled breath, as she licked and sucked on his neck. The sounds he made sent a heady rush of warmth in the pit of her belly.

"Oh, and it gets better," her hands caressed the span of his broad chest that was bared to her, and she pushed the shirt off of his shoulders, "I'm going to tie you up and blindfold you."

He stilled beneath her. "What?" he gasped. He felt impossibly hard against the apex of her thighs as she straddled him, and she bit her lip as she resisted the temptation to give into her urge and grind down against him.

"You don't like the idea?" she asked worriedly.

"No, no, I do," he said fervently, "But I wanna touch you. See you."

She raked her hand through his hair, loving the feel of his golden curls shuffling across her fingers. He sighed, and looked at her with hooded eyes. "I know." She took one of his hands and placed it on her breast. When he squeezed gently and brushed his thumb across her nipple, she inhaled at the sensation. "But I want this to be about you. You can't see, so all you can do is feel. And you're helpless to my touch."

"Wow." He murmured, and closed his eyes. "That sounds amazing. You've really thought a lot about this."

"I think of all kinds of things when it comes to you." She said impishly. It was crazy to think how the Katniss a year ago would have balked at what she was proposing today. She had been incredibly shy during her first few times with Peeta, as neither of them really knew what to do and fumbled with each other's body. But they have come a long way since then. She had thoroughly explored Peeta's body and learned which areas to touch that would make him sigh, the places that would make him groan or even tremble in anticipation. And he had mastered her body, being the quick, skillful and attentive learner that he was.

He always made her feel beautiful. He helped her explore a side of her sensuality that she didn't even know existed, and his love made her feel like a desirable woman. She dreamed of all kinds of possibilities when it comes to him, even ones that ventured into the forbidden zone. They manifested her dreams now, chasing away the ugly nightmares that used to haunt her every time she closed her eyes.

"Now, lie down," she pushed against his chest and he fell back against the mattress compliantly, "And let me have my way with you."

"Yes, my master." He grinned, as she moved to pull off his shoes and socks, and then unbuckle his belt. Slowly, she pulled his pants down along with his undershorts. His erection sprang free as she undressed him and took off his prosthetic leg, setting it by the wall and discarding his clothes on the floor. Reaching down, she slid the fabric belt from the hoops on her robe, and picked up his shirt. She crawled back to him and let her legs astride the side of his waist.

"Hands above your head," she breathed.

He chuckled, took in a deep breath and did as he was told. She was very conscious of his smoldering blue eyes on her, as she tied the fabric belt around his wrists and then strapped them to the headboard soundly. His arms strained as he tried to budge his wrists, but found that she had them trapped securely with her deft fingers.

"Wow, Katniss. You're serious," he said incredulously. But his face held an expression of ardor, as if he was a five-year-old waking up on the morning of Christmas day.

"I'm a woman of my word," she whispered, as she briefly stopped to admire the sight of him lying beneath her, his chest rising and falling with each breath that he drew, making those delectable muscles ripple. He is so gorgeous. "Do you trust me?" she asked quietly, hoping that he wouldn't feel uncomfortable in his position.

"Completely." He said softly. She smiled, feeling touched that he had put all of his trust in her. They had really come a long way since two years ago, when Peeta almost couldn't bear to be near her, for fear that he would accidentally hurt her as he fought his flashbacks. Now, he was willing to be tied up under her, and let her deal with him as she pleased.

"My slave," she ran her hands down his sternum, and bent down to press a kiss to the spot where she knew his heart was pounding. "Mine."

"I'm yours," he confirmed, "And you're mine."

"Always," she whispered, echoing back the word that he chanted to her so often.

"I love you, Katniss."

She felt tears threatening the corners of her eyes at his affirmation. No matter how many times he said it, there was always this ridiculous pang in her chest that followed. But it wouldn't do to cry now. That would ruin the mood she was setting.

"I love you too," she tried to swallow back the lump in her throat, and reached for the icing bag to distract herself, "And don't you forget it."

"I won't." he eyed the bag that she was holding, "I thought you were going to blindfold me."

"Oh! Yeah," she almost forgot, "That's what I got this for." She lifted his shirt, and let it dangle from her fingertips. "Eyes closed."

His eyes closed obediently. His dark blond eyelashes cast a shadow over the skin under his eyes in the orange lamp light. She pulled the shirt taut, and carefully pressed it over his eyes, lifting his head slightly as she wrapped it around the back, and secured it at his right temple with a knot. "Can you see?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not a thing."

"Good." She breathed in deeply. Her eyes roved over him, drinking in the sight of his unruly hair, the ebony-colored shirt covering his magnificent blue eyes, his slightly parted lips, the strain of his biceps' muscles, the faint but permanent scars that lined across his pulsating chest, and the contour of his abdomen, where a trail of blond hair dipped downward.

"I love you like this," she said appreciatively, as she caressed his pecs and sternum leisurely, feeling his breathing pick up again, "You're so fine to look at."

He laughed. "Why, I could say the same thing about you, Ms. Everdeen. If only I can see you now."

She bent down, and brushed her lips across his skin. Her tongue danced across the fine hairs that sprinkled across his chest, tasting his warmth and spicy scent. He was breathing harshly as she worked his chest with her mouth. When she drew his nipple into her mouth and gently scraped it between her teeth, he arched against her, a small cry escaping from him. "Yes,"

Hmm… this would be a good place to start. She sat up, and grasped for the bag. She held it over his torso. Holding her breath, her hands squeezed gently until orange icing escaped from the tip of the bag and trailed across his skin, covering him from his sternum to the underside of his arm.

"Katniss, please," he wheezed, as she licked the icing off in a tortuously slow manner, letting her teeth graze his skin ever so gently. It was a delicious orange, tangy flavour. When her tongue circled his nipple again and her fingers teased across the trail of hair on his abdomen, his hips jerked, as if he was willing her hands to travel down further. Katniss lifted her hips slightly and leaned back until his erection brushed against the centre of her legs, his head gliding against her wetness, causing a shockwave of pleasure through her.

"You're killing me," he half-groaned, half-breathed, as she rubbed against him back and forth. She moaned against his skin, and this seemed to rile him up even further. "Katniss, I can't take it anymore. Please."

For some reason, hearing him beg her made her blood boil even hotter. She squeezed more icing onto the other part of his chest, and fervently sucked it off his skin, which was now covered with a sheen of sweat. "Please what, Peeta?" she teased him.

"Touch me," he whispered, beyond the point of resilience.

"Okay."Deciding to give him a little relief, she reached down and grasped him in her hand. He gave a guttural groan as she worked up and down his shaft, her thumb working at the tip of his head to spread the moisture around. His hips jerked to the movement of her hand again and again, while his head tilted back against the pillow. She leaned forward, and pressed her lips against his, swallowing his moans. Her mouth parted and his tongue danced inside, tangling with her own as she worked him.

She could feel him pulsing in her hand, and knew that he was nearing his end. But she wasn't done with him yet. She pulled away from him with regret, and gave him one more gentle tug before letting him go. He cried out and fell back against the bed, his forearms straining as he pulled against the restraint.

"Don't stop…" he tried not to make his tone sound like a whine.

"Don't worry," she pressed another kiss to his lips, "I'll take care of you. The fun isn't over yet." She crawled down the length of his body, and eyed him speculatively. "Hmm, I think I'll paint a flower right over here." Her palm brushed over his thigh, "I've gotten quite good at making icing flowers, you know. You're a good teacher."

"Is that so? Well, there's a lot more I could teach you," she could hear the amusement in his voice, as her fingers squeezed the bag, expertly outlining an orange blossom across his skin. She set aside the bag and looked at her work appreciatively, biting back a giggle at the sight of a flower adorning his body.

"I had no idea you could turn a baking session into something so… so…" his breathing hitched, when she traced her tongue across his inner thigh, caressing the skin around where the blossom was, feeling his muscles flex and relax repeatedly against her lips, "Splendid."

"I'm resourceful," she said, and stroked her hand up and down his calf. Finally, she traced the orange flower off his thigh with her tongue, swirling it across his skin until the taste faded and he was squirming.

"It drives me crazy that I can't see what you're doing," he said bluntly, "Please take the blindfold off. I want to see you, beautiful."

She tilted her head to the side as she considered his request. "I don't know," she said nonchalantly, as she ran her fingertips across his pelvis, feeling the muscles jerk in the wake of her touch, "I feel like I could do this all day. Maybe I should play with you a little bit longer,"

She grinned, and looked up at his face. He was pouting, and she laughed at the strangely adorable look. "You don't play fair," he sighed.

"Oh yeah? Well, I didn't hear you complaining a moment ago," she raised her eyebrows at him, even though she knew he couldn't see it.

He exhaled slowly, his chest falling with the movement. "I really want to see you. Please, Katniss."

She caved in. She couldn't really deny him what he wanted. "Okay, birthday boy." She inched forward, and reached forward to untie the knot of the shirt. When she pulled it free from him, a pair of bright blue eyes stared back at her, wide and slightly in shock. She smiled softly at him, and ran her thumb across his cheek and jaw.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I'm fantastic," he heaved a sigh, "I just can't believe… oh, I never expected this. You're the best, Katniss. You're amazing."

She brushed a clump of hair from his forehead, feeling the thin layer of sweat on his skin. "Well, you gave me the inspiration," she murmured back. "I'm going to finish what I started."

Peeta lifted his head to watch, as she crawled back down his body, her gray eyes alight with a sudden determination. When she took his throbbing member into her mouth, he hissed, and struggled to keep his eyes open as she worked up and down his shaft, her hands caressing the parts of him that her lips couldn't reach.

"Yes… oh… yes," Katniss felt his hips undulating against her slightly, his legs straining as if he was using all of his effort not to push up harshly into her throat, "Katniss… don't stop…"

Wanting to give him everything and suddenly feeling ravenous for all of him, she worked faster, feeling her jaw ache slightly as she tried to take in as much of him as possible. When her palm moved to caress him under his shaft, he let out a strangled cry, and his breathing grew rapid and shallow.

"I'm gonna come," he warned, as the overwhelming sensations and the sight of her lips wrapped around him became too much to take, "Katniss, I can't…"

In response, she gave him a harder suck that made his hips snap upward and go still. He poured himself down her throat, a guttural, broken version of her name escaping his lips. Katniss kept her tongue working around him until he was completely spent, swallowing his release without trying to taste it. Peeta flopped against the bed, sweaty, drained, and looking deliriously happy.

She crawled back up to release his wrists. When they were free again, he laid his arm against the mattress as an invitation for her to join him. She shifted and laid her head on top of his bicep, her small hand caressing his chest as she tried to calm him. "How do you feel?"

"Beyond wonderful," he turned to look into her eyes, and she could see how sleepy he was as he struggled to keep his eyelids from drooping, "That was the so intense. I loved it, everything you did." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and started to yawn before he pressed his arm over his mouth to stifle it.

"Tired?" she asked.

He shook his head slightly. "I'm not tired. Let me make you feel good, sweetheart,"

"Liar." She said softly, and ran her hand up and down his waist, "You had a long day at work, too. Get some rest. We can continue later."

He looked as if he was about to protest, but she gave him a look that invited no arguments, and he relented. Resignedly, his eyes drifted close, and he surrendered to sleep within minutes under her gentle caresses. She grasped for the icing bag beside her, now half-full, and placed it on top of the table again. She gazed at his sleeping face, silently admiring his handsome features that seemed to look younger in his sleep.

He looked so relaxed and happy, and she felt her chest warming at the sight. She rarely got the chance to watch him sleep, for he usually got up before her everyday to prepare for the bakery. This was the man who had loved her since she was five, before they even knew the meaning of falling for the opposite sex. This was the man who had saved her again and again, sacrificing his life for her and bleeding for her. This was the man who chased away her nightmares with his kisses, and gave her the motivation to rebuild her life again, day by day.

I love you so much, was the last thought that passed through her muddled mind as drowsiness dragged her down under, cocooned in his arms, Peeta…

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katniss woke up, to the sensation of a heady, pleasurable ache between her legs. A soft moan escaped from her, and she grimaced as the feeling assaulted her senses again and again. The light was still on. She looked down in confusion, and found that Peeta had settled between her thighs, his tongue dancing around her bundle of nerves while his finger slowly pushed in and out of her. His eyes locked with hers as she gaped at him.

"Peeta," she tried to say, and was shocked at the rough moan that came out instead, "What are you doing?"

"Waking you up," he said, and turned his head to give her inner thigh a tender nip. She took in a shuddering breath.

"Well, this is a really good way to wake up…" she said dazedly. She couldn't help a high-pitched whimper from escaping her, when he gently curled his finger inside of her, stroking the spot that made her writhe and turn on top of the sheet. "Don't stop,"

"Never," his tongue continued to massage her clit, and she gasped and thrashed until he had to hold her hips down to keep her still. The pleasure built and built, until her mouth was hanging open in a silent scream. She choked out his name when he pushed a second finger in, and his tongue darted across the lips of her sex and her clit as fingers moved in and out of her, glistening with her desire as wetness flooded her centre.

Katniss' fists clenched by her sides, as the pleasure nearly reached its crescendo with each skillful stroke of his tongue and fingers. The delicious, unbearable pressure in her abdomen started to unfurl, and her hips nearly arched straight off the bed.

"Don't stop, don't stop," she pleaded, "I'm gonna come…"

She squealed, when he lightly scraped his teeth over her clit, before sucking it into his mouth ever so slightly and rubbing it hard with the tip of his tongue. She came harder than she had ever thought it was possible. Her body heaved and convulsed almost violently as she screamed his name. Sparks flew behind her eyelids as she ground herself against his mouth and fingers, gasping with abandon as the skin of her neck and chest flushed over. When it was over, she flopped against the bedspread again, her eyes still shut as she struggled to catch her breath and recover from his assault.

She felt him crawling up her body, and she lifted her boneless arms up to embrace him. The breath trembled in her throat, when she felt his erection brushing against her wet centre, hard and burning hot. "Please, Katniss," he rasped in her ear, his voice gruff and almost a plea, "I need you."

"Take me," she whispered, "Let me feel you inside of me."

She felt his hands reached behind her thighs and gently pry them apart further. Excitement darted through her stomach once again, when she felt his head pushing into her folds. The slide was facilitated by her excitement that was glistening on her soft inner thighs. He slid into her, inch by inch, and she bit her lip as her body adjusted itself to the welcome, familiar intrusion.

"Peeta," she whimpered.

"Katniss," he pressed his lips to the side of her neck, as he slowly pulled out before pushing into her again. She could feel her heart pulsing rapidly, as if trying to jump out of her chest and into his where their skin touched.

Her hands ran down his back and grasped onto his backside, trying to urge him forward. She fought to keep her eyes open and look at him as he pushed into her again and again. His flushed, concentrated face was the loveliest thing she'd ever seen. He gazed back at her as their bodies moved in sync with each other, in a leisurely grinding rhythm.

"Peeta," she moaned, as she felt the quickening inside of her once again, "Harder."

He sucked in a breath, and his thrusts grew in pace. He hit that spot within her again and again with each stroke, and she finally couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. The small of her back arched and her hips tensed, trying to reach her release.

Peeta dipped his head down, and worried her neck with his lips and tongue. He reached between their bodies and his thumb found her swollen clit, a spot that he had now become familiar with. He rubbed her frantically, wanting to feel her clench around him and scream his name.

Katniss let go. She couldn't hold back her scream, and her body stilled as sensations flooded through her with a vehemence that knocked every thought out of her mind except for one thing.

"Peeta!"

The world seemed to shut off around her as she rode out the waves. She was vaguely aware of Peeta letting go inside of her, and his head collapsing against the crook of her neck. He breathed in the smell of her skin deeply, as if savouring the scent of their lovemaking.

"Peeta," she finally sighed, her voice barely audible. She stroked her fingers through his damp hair, feeling her limbs tremble and turn to jelly. "That was…" there were no words to describe it. Amazing? Wonderful? Even those words seemed paltry to express what had just transpired between them.

"The best experience of my life," His murmur finished her sentence, and he pressed a kiss to her shoulder blade. "Katniss, this has been absolutely the best… no, the most extraordinary birthday I've ever had. You completely surprised me and shattered my mind." He nuzzled her behind her ear, and she couldn't help a small giggle at the ticklish, affectionate act, "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

I ask myself the same question about you everyday. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him. That he was the world to her. But she was never eloquent with words, so she always wanted to show him through her actions instead. "I just want to make you happy," she said quietly.

"I'm the luckiest man alive." He lay down beside her, and rolled her on top of him, nestling her into his chest, "Well, since you made my birthday so interesting… I will make sure that your birthday will be equally as memorable."

She arched an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah?" she lifted her head and glanced up into his eyes, feeling a smirk curling her lips, "What are you thinking, Mr. Mellark?"

"It's a surprise," he winked at her, his blue eyes dancing with amusement.

She sighed, and rested her cheek against his chest again, relishing in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat thumping in her ear. "I look forward to it."


End file.
